re: Latest Updates: Russia-Ukraine Conflict

FWIW

quote:

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The controversy in Russia regarding the legitimacy of eastward NATO expansion relates to the aftermath of the Revolutions of 1989, when the fall of Soviet-allied communist states to opposition parties brought European spheres of influence into question. U.S. documents claim that agreement on non-expansion of NATO to Eastern Europe took place orally[1] and the alliance violated it with its expansion[1][2][3][4] while the leaders of the alliance claim that no such promise was made[5] and that such a decision could only be made in writing.[6][7] Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, who participated in the 1990 negotiations, subsequently spoke out about the existence of a "guarantee of non-expansion of NATO to the east" inconsistently, confirming its existence in some interviews[8][9] and refuting in others.[10][11] Among academic researchers, opinions on the existence or absence of a non-extension agreement also differ

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At the end of the day nothing was written nor signed so it's basically impossible to actually say what if anything was actually agreed to and if any promise was broken. As a I stated early no formal agreement exists

ETA but it is SUPER easy to find whatever "evidence" you want to support whatever outcome you want. I.E. you can make it look like NATO broke a promise or that no such promise was made.